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Apr 8, 2014

Final meeting of the 2013-1014 season: Saturday April 26th

Piping and drumming competition begins at 4:30pm and entertainment begins at 7:30pm. Food and beverage will be available for purchase throughout the evening, including pizza, salad, bread, and delicious homemade onion soup! You can wet your palate with Scottish Ales, Oregon beer and wine, or a soft drink.

The evening will begin with our Local Hero, Jack Toohey.

Jack Toohey started on the chanter when he was 9 and moved onto the pipes at the age of 12. He has been a member of the Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band for 5 years, which he thoroughly enjoys and currently serves as Pipe Major for the band. He also has the privilege of playing along side of his 3 siblings, Sam 11, Lauren 14 and his older brother Ian who ages out after the 2014 season. His sister Lauren is currently the Drum Sgt. for the band.

Although Jack's primary instruction has come from his father John Toohey, his piobaireachd knowledge comes from Colin MacKenzie. Jack enjoys his connection with Colin and appreciates his knowledge and passion for the music. Jack has matured greatly as a player because of it!

Jack is a very accomplished player and has recently been promoted to Grade 1 by the British Columbia Pipers Association after finishing 1st in his grade for the 2013 season. Out of the many awards Jack has won over the years, he is particularly proud of his successes at the BC Indoor, where he has won the Aggregate 4 years straight.

Other than piping, Jack loves to hang out with friends and enjoys being involved with his youth group. He is an avid sports fan and hopes to get a football scholarship to a division 1 college as a kicker/punter.

The Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band will also be joining us!The Portland Metro Youth Pipe Band (PMYPB) is made up of bagpipers and drummers ages 8 to 18 years from the Portland and Vancouver area.

These dedicated children and young adults attend band practice weekly, take private lessons with professional instructors, and utilize regular practice in preparation for Highland Game competitions.

The band's mission is to promote and advance the learning and performance of highland music, through youth, in Oregon and Southwest Washington. PMYPB provides a safe age appropriate environment to learn highland music. It is the intention of the PMYPB that at age 18, a PMYPB musician will become a competitive player in the adult Portland Metro Pipe Band. The youth band performs with the adult band at their annual fundraiser, Burns Supper in January.

Alex began playing bagpipes at age 8 with instructor Kevin Auld. He plays with the 8th ranked pipe band in the world, Dowco Triumph Street Pipe Band.

An accomplished solo piper, most recently Alex made it to the final round of the 2014 BCPA Pro Knockouts in his first year entering the event as a professional piper, placing 3rd overall. He placed 2nd as an invited amateur in the 2013 BCPA Professional Knockout first round, out of 11 professional competitors and was promoted to professional in February, 2013, winning one of his first events at the BCPA Annual Gathering March 30, 2013. He finished his first professional season ranked 7th.

Alex was promoted to Grade 1 at age 13, the youngest of all grade 1 Amateur pipers in Washington/Oregon and British Columbia at the time in the British Columbia Pipers' Association.

Join us for the final OPS meeting of the season! Only $5 for OPS members. $10 for non-members.